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mite control

I asked a bee keeper what to use for mite control and he said I could use a product called Prozap Zipcide Dust made by Chem-Tech, ltd. Des Moines, IA as it had same/simular active ingredient as other mite control products. The container states its for use on dairy cattle, swine and horses. It it safe for bee's ? It doesn't seem to me it would be.

"The true meaning of life is to plant tree's, which under whose shade you do not expect to sit" Nelson Henderson

Re: mite control

This beekeeper has 50 -60 hives it looked like to me and has been in business for quite awhile I guess. I think I'll take this product to a chemical recycle place and get rid of it. 3rd year, 6 hives and have treated for mites only once.

"The true meaning of life is to plant tree's, which under whose shade you do not expect to sit" Nelson Henderson

Re: mite control

You can do a Google search for "Coumaphos bees". Coumaphos can be effective in killing mites. Depending on how you use it, it can also kill your bees, and possibly you as well.http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/perizin.html

Re: mite control

Checkmite (coumaphos) and Apistan (fluvalvinate) are two of the harshest chemicals used to treat mites. Read up on them - many beekeepers won't put those in a hive. If you're gonna treat, I'd recommend starting with a "softer" treatment such as ApiGuard (thymol based), Hopguard (hops-based) or Mite-Away Quick Strips (formic acid). Also, read up on Integrated Pest Management (IPM): many beekeepers have managed to avoid chemical treatments completely by using IPM strategies.